The Pulse of the City: Our Other Neighbors, Furry and Feathered
The other night, I was on Lake Avenue on my way to a friend's house. It must have been about 8:30 p.m. Just before I turned onto my friend's side street, a large 8-point buck darted out in front of my car. As I screeched to a stop, the whitetail deer also calmly stopped in a neighbor's yard before proceeding towards the Rocky River valley. 8-point, by the way, refers to the number of points that might be on a male deer's antler rack. Hunters love to take deer having large "racks" like this one.
If any of you with gardens on the west end of Lake Avenue are missing a few plants, I have a fair idea who the culprit might be! Or perhaps culprits! As an old Pennsylvania boy, I seem to remember that these big boys often travel with several does (that's female deer to you pavement-pounders).
On several occasions in 19th century Ohio, farmers banded together to eradicate the animal predators that were taking their crops, cattle and sheep. Perhaps the best-known hunt in Northern Ohio was the Great Hinckley Hunt on Christmas Eve, 1818. A number of bears and wolves, as well as numerous other animals, were gunned down. Since that time, the Hinckley area has been known as a buzzard haven. Now you know why. Lakewood historian Dan Chabek detailed that hunt with an article in his Buckeye Chronicles.
With the demise of wolves and bears, the food chain balance flipped upside down, and big and little furry critters formerly controlled by Nature started to live long and prolific lives around here. These days, they may be found in the backyards around Lakewood.
When I was a child, there was a ruckus in our backyard. Out by the trash cans, Mom was in her bare feet, wielding a broom against an angry and unrepentant raccoon who had reared back on his haunches with bared fangs. Fortunately, the raccoon retreated to the safety of the other street, rather than going after Mom's tender ankles!
Even these days, just like clockwork, an opossum uses our driveway for his evening stroll. He (or she) turns on the automatic sensor light by casually sauntering up and down the driveway twice nightly.
During the day, the squirrel families around Lakewood romp from tree to tree. Both brown and black squirrels can be found around Lakewood, with the black varieties more common in Lakewood Park and on eastern Lake Avenue. These little characters are curious, intelligent, and surprisingly comfortable with the huge humans all around them. Their little cousins, the chipmunks and field mice, also abound, in and around Lakewood homes--much to the chagrin of concerned homeowners. Particularly with the onset of cold weather, these little fellas love to try and find a way into your warm comfortable home! Every now and then, some Lakewood homeowner will discover a boot filled with seeds up in the attic!
Bats can be seen around Lakewood as well, although not too often. Fortunately, rats generally stay below ground in the sewers, but they, too, have been seen around town, particularly around dog and cat food dishes that are not taken in at night.
Lakewood bird life is abundant and varied. In addition to the ubiquitous pigeons, robins, and sparrows, blue jays and starlings abound. Quite a few crows can be seen high in the treetops, along with the occasional hawk or eagle.
Unfortunately, all too many cats are freely on the prowl all over town. Although they may perform a valuable service addressing the rats and mice issue, they can leave their aromatic calling cards in flower beds and garden patches, creating problems for homeowners. Cats, like all pets, are too precious to be left out neglected on the streets.
Lakewood doggies benefit from Lakewood's Doggie Park, down by the Lakewood Waste Water Treatment Plant in the Metroparks. Lakewood also has its own animal shelter for the occasional lost stray, or for a rescue of that pesky squirrel running around in your attic.
Lakewood pet owners have numerous unique pets in their homes. We have three talkative macaws in our home. Our Blue and Gold, Bandit, has a huge vocabulary. He says "Hello" and "Bye-bye" at appropriate times, and carries on conversations that are remarkable. Our Severe Macaw, Gilligan, had a previous owner, and therefore has a salty vocabulary that would make a sailor blush! Our baby is a Hahn's Macaw named Hans, and she acts virtually human!
I'll close this column with one of those stories that shows that the truth, indeed, can be stranger than fiction. That would be the time I escaped a charge by three elephants at Lakewood High School. No kidding.
A small circus had come to town, and they were presenting in the LHS gym off Bunts. I was in my first or second year of college at Cleveland State, and they offered night school at Lakewood High. As I usually did, I entered the building by the back door, near the present-day band room, to get to my classroom. At the precise moment that I entered the school, at the other end of the hall, down by the Drivers' Ed. pen, they had let three elephants into the hallway. One of their trainers stood by the entrance to the gym and called out to them.
"Bwana, Simba, Tanga, come!" (or whatever their names were). And the beasts willingly obliged, starting to lumber towards the gym.
The only problem was that I had unexpectedly popped in between them and the gym! Fortunately, there was an alcove nearby, and a large, round custodians' trash can. What happened next was not pretty, and I seem to recall that my dropped briefcase was stepped on (by Tanga?) but I either hid behind or jumped into the trash can (memories and dignity can be fleeting). I emerged unscathed after the pachyderms rumbled by.
A few minutes later, upstairs, an annoyed instructor asked me why I was late to class. He was not amused when I told him that I had been attacked by elephants!
Animals do so much to enrich our lives. Our pets give everything that they can to us. I continue to be surprised at the love that I see in my parrots, and indeed, even in the wild animals around town. All too often, the street claims some animal. Small animal carcasses do not stay around long after their demise, as scavengers soon take their opportunity for a quick meal.
Of course, one needs to avoid close encounters with wild animals, due to the ever-present possibility of rabies. Still, our furry and feathered friends have contributed much to the pulse of this city.
If any of you with gardens on the west end of Lake Avenue are missing a few plants, I have a fair idea who the culprit might be! Or perhaps culprits! As an old Pennsylvania boy, I seem to remember that these big boys often travel with several does (that's female deer to you pavement-pounders).
On several occasions in 19th century Ohio, farmers banded together to eradicate the animal predators that were taking their crops, cattle and sheep. Perhaps the best-known hunt in Northern Ohio was the Great Hinckley Hunt on Christmas Eve, 1818. A number of bears and wolves, as well as numerous other animals, were gunned down. Since that time, the Hinckley area has been known as a buzzard haven. Now you know why. Lakewood historian Dan Chabek detailed that hunt with an article in his Buckeye Chronicles.
With the demise of wolves and bears, the food chain balance flipped upside down, and big and little furry critters formerly controlled by Nature started to live long and prolific lives around here. These days, they may be found in the backyards around Lakewood.
When I was a child, there was a ruckus in our backyard. Out by the trash cans, Mom was in her bare feet, wielding a broom against an angry and unrepentant raccoon who had reared back on his haunches with bared fangs. Fortunately, the raccoon retreated to the safety of the other street, rather than going after Mom's tender ankles!
Even these days, just like clockwork, an opossum uses our driveway for his evening stroll. He (or she) turns on the automatic sensor light by casually sauntering up and down the driveway twice nightly.
During the day, the squirrel families around Lakewood romp from tree to tree. Both brown and black squirrels can be found around Lakewood, with the black varieties more common in Lakewood Park and on eastern Lake Avenue. These little characters are curious, intelligent, and surprisingly comfortable with the huge humans all around them. Their little cousins, the chipmunks and field mice, also abound, in and around Lakewood homes--much to the chagrin of concerned homeowners. Particularly with the onset of cold weather, these little fellas love to try and find a way into your warm comfortable home! Every now and then, some Lakewood homeowner will discover a boot filled with seeds up in the attic!
Bats can be seen around Lakewood as well, although not too often. Fortunately, rats generally stay below ground in the sewers, but they, too, have been seen around town, particularly around dog and cat food dishes that are not taken in at night.
Lakewood bird life is abundant and varied. In addition to the ubiquitous pigeons, robins, and sparrows, blue jays and starlings abound. Quite a few crows can be seen high in the treetops, along with the occasional hawk or eagle.
Unfortunately, all too many cats are freely on the prowl all over town. Although they may perform a valuable service addressing the rats and mice issue, they can leave their aromatic calling cards in flower beds and garden patches, creating problems for homeowners. Cats, like all pets, are too precious to be left out neglected on the streets.
Lakewood doggies benefit from Lakewood's Doggie Park, down by the Lakewood Waste Water Treatment Plant in the Metroparks. Lakewood also has its own animal shelter for the occasional lost stray, or for a rescue of that pesky squirrel running around in your attic.
Lakewood pet owners have numerous unique pets in their homes. We have three talkative macaws in our home. Our Blue and Gold, Bandit, has a huge vocabulary. He says "Hello" and "Bye-bye" at appropriate times, and carries on conversations that are remarkable. Our Severe Macaw, Gilligan, had a previous owner, and therefore has a salty vocabulary that would make a sailor blush! Our baby is a Hahn's Macaw named Hans, and she acts virtually human!
I'll close this column with one of those stories that shows that the truth, indeed, can be stranger than fiction. That would be the time I escaped a charge by three elephants at Lakewood High School. No kidding.
A small circus had come to town, and they were presenting in the LHS gym off Bunts. I was in my first or second year of college at Cleveland State, and they offered night school at Lakewood High. As I usually did, I entered the building by the back door, near the present-day band room, to get to my classroom. At the precise moment that I entered the school, at the other end of the hall, down by the Drivers' Ed. pen, they had let three elephants into the hallway. One of their trainers stood by the entrance to the gym and called out to them.
"Bwana, Simba, Tanga, come!" (or whatever their names were). And the beasts willingly obliged, starting to lumber towards the gym.
The only problem was that I had unexpectedly popped in between them and the gym! Fortunately, there was an alcove nearby, and a large, round custodians' trash can. What happened next was not pretty, and I seem to recall that my dropped briefcase was stepped on (by Tanga?) but I either hid behind or jumped into the trash can (memories and dignity can be fleeting). I emerged unscathed after the pachyderms rumbled by.
A few minutes later, upstairs, an annoyed instructor asked me why I was late to class. He was not amused when I told him that I had been attacked by elephants!
Animals do so much to enrich our lives. Our pets give everything that they can to us. I continue to be surprised at the love that I see in my parrots, and indeed, even in the wild animals around town. All too often, the street claims some animal. Small animal carcasses do not stay around long after their demise, as scavengers soon take their opportunity for a quick meal.
Of course, one needs to avoid close encounters with wild animals, due to the ever-present possibility of rabies. Still, our furry and feathered friends have contributed much to the pulse of this city.
Volume 2, Issue 24, Posted 7:07 AM, 11.02.06
